Comments Off on Great Western Railway Shareholders Index 1835-1932 now complete

The Society of Genealogists is delighted to announce that its database index of Great Western Railway Shareholders is now complete for the years 1835-1932 and published in partnership with Findmypast. co.uk

This is not an index of railway staff, but records shareholders in the Great Western Railway. The index currently contains details for approximately 440,000 individuals, with a total number of 570,464 records and 153,569 events entered into the registers. A record is an entry for an individual in the database, including not just shareholders but executors, beneficiaries and others involved in the transfer of shareholdings. An event is a disposal of a shareholder under a will or an intestacy following death, or otherwise than by simple sale during the lifetime of the shareholder

The registers were started when the GWR was created in 1835 and the series continues through to 1932. Each of the 270 volumes contains between 450 and 600 individual entries, which may relate to an event occurring up to 20 years earlier than the making of the entry.

The date range covered in each volume starts about 10 years before the entries were made, but there are a number of earlier entries dating back up to twenty years in most volumes, with the earliest entry seen being a baptism in 1806, but this is an isolated exception.

In almost all entries, the name of the shareholder is given together with an address, the names of the other parties (executors or legatees for deaths; husbands for marriages) and dates of death, probate, marriage or other event.

The majority of events are deaths in England and Wales, the split of events within the records is as follows:

The Index lists names, dates, places and the event or role of the person listed. Some people appear on two or more occasions, for instance those solicitors who acted as professional executors to estates.

Comments Off on Treasures Tuesday – Discover the Treasures of the Society of Genealogists’ Library

The Society of Genealogists is delighted to announce a new learning resources showcasing the unique collections within the Society’s Library

Following on from the poster exhibitions and displays on the SoG stand at Who Do You Think You Are? Live 2010, The Societys’ blog and website familyhistorytreasures.org.uk will provide regular insights and updates illustrating interesting and unique items. Look out for news and updates in the Treasures Tuesday blogspots which will explain what’s in the family history collections and how to use them. We hope you find this new venture of use. If so spread the word and tell other family historians how to discover more about the Treasures of the Society of Genealogists.

Comments Off on Family Tree Maker Software Courses at the Society of Genealogists 17 April 2010

Family Tree Maker Software

Family Tree Maker Software half-day course for beginners from 10:30am-1pm and a half-day course for advanced users from 2-5pm.

The introductory lesson will teach the essentials skills for creating, upgrading and maintaining your family tree in Family Tree Maker 2009. Through practical demonstration and discussion, new users and owners of previous versions will learn to effectively use all the various components of this latest version. (To give the most time to the 2009 features, we will not be discussing previous versions of Family Tree Maker unless it pertains to the 2009 program).
Price £17.50 (£14.00 SoG members) for each course.
To book, telephone 020 7553 3290, email events@sog.org.uk or book online

Our tutor, Mike Bollinger has been teaching adult computer courses for the past 20 years. He is currently a computer instructor at the Handsworth Community Forum in Sheffield, as well as owner of Computer House Calls, an onsite computer servicing business. Mike’s knowledge and love of the Family Tree Maker program has grown from his enjoyment in using the software in researching his own family history. You will find Mike’s style of teaching enjoyable and entertaining as well as his ability to explain technical topics in plain English.

Friday, 12 Nov. at 2:00
A hands-on way to learn to use internet “pay-per-view” websites at the Society of Genealogists. Use of the websites are free with course tuition. It is advisable to bring some family history research to do and a memory stick to save your work. This is a tutorial with Alec Tritton £12.00 (£9.50 SoG members). Please note the society library is closed to research this day and only those attending the tutorial will be allowed to undertake internet research as part of the course.

To book telephone 020 7553 3290, email events@sog.org.uk or book online